Xiahe

Xiahe, 夏河in Chinese, is a county in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu province, China. It is home to the famed Labrang Tibetan Buddhist monastery, one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries outside the Tibet Autonomous Region. The town is populated largely by ethnic Tibetans, as well as some Hui and Han Chinese. The area is highly rural and pastoral (including yak and other animal rearing). The geography is mountainous. In recent years it has become a tourist attraction due to its famous Labrang Monastery. The town was named Xiahe in 1928.
Xiahe (Sangqu) is found in the southern portion of Gansu province, along the western border with Qinghai province. It lies along the Daxia and Zhao rivers. It is on the northeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The average elevation is 2900 to 3100 m with the highest being 4636 m and lowest is 2160 m.
The name, both Chinese and Tibetan, which literally means, "Xia River" refers to the Daxia River which runs through the county.
It take about 4-5 hours from Lanzhou to Xiahe by car on the express way. The travelers can visit Binglingsi Temple on the way to Xiahe from Lanzhou. Moreover, the travelers can drive from Xiahe to Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province along the grassland, the Yellow River etc.